wounded; among the latter was Captain Stirling. The Pique had 1 man killed, 1 drowned, and 6 wounded.
On the 11th Oct., in the same year, the Jason being in pursuit of a French convoy near Brest, struck upon a rock with such force, as to baffle every exertion of her officers and men to get her off; she in consequence soon filled; the crew got on shore, and surrendered themselves prisoners of war, excepting 6, whom Captain Stirling permitted to take a boat, by which means they effected their escape, and arrived safe at Plymouth on the 15th[1].
In the month of Feb. 1799, our officer was appointed to the Pompée, of 80 guns, which ship he commanded in the battle off Algesiras, July 6, 1801. This action was not of the most fortunate stamp; but the failure was attributable to causes which no prudence could foresee, which no valour could control. Captain Stirling placed the Pompée with great judgment abreast of the inner ship of the enemy, bearing the Admiral’s flag; and such was the effect of his fire, that she was nearly silenced, when a sudden flaw of wind broke the Pompée’s sheer, and from that moment she was able to bring but very few of her guns to bear.
After this engagement, in which the Pompée sustained a loss of 15 men killed, and 69 wounded, the French ships were reinforced by a Spanish squadron of five sail of the line; notwithstanding which, and the crippled state of his own ships, the British Commander, Sir James Saumarez, resolved to pursue and attack the enemy. A glorious victory, in which Captain Stirling was prevented the honor of participating, in consequence of the damaged state of his ship, was the result of this determination[2].
Subsequent to the above event, our officer was entrusted with the command of a squadron, employed in the blockade of Cadiz. The Pompée returned to England at the latter end of the same year, and was paid off at Plymouth in the month of Feb. 1802. A more honorable testimony of the
- ↑ During the time Captain Stirling commanded the Jason, he captured the following French privateers; La Marie, 14 guns, 60 men; la Coureur, 24 guns, 150 men; la Bonne Citoyenne, 12 guns, 65 men; and, l’Arrogante, 6 guns, number of men not known.
- ↑ See p. 187, et seq.
